Pass notes No 2,664: Fantastic Mr Fox

Tuesday 13 October 2009 19.05 EDT
First published on Tuesday 13 October 2009 19.05 EDT

Age: 39 in book years. Maybe two or three in vulpine years.

Appearance: Wily.

I know him! He's the guy from the 1970 Roald Dahl classic! Gets persecuted by three neighbouring farmers, Boggis, Bunce and Bean, for pilfering their poultry houses. They stand vigil over his foxhole so the fox family nearly starve before Mr Fox realises that he can access their barns from underneath. So he ends up being able to feed all his family and friends whatever they need while the farmers just sit outside with their guns, waiting for ever! It's genius! You mean fantastic!

Well, quite. So, what's up? Don't tell me – it's soon to be a major motion picture? Major stop-motion picture, actually. The animated film directed by Wes Anderson opens today at the London Film Festival. Giving us their best reynard and vixen impressions are George Clooney and Meryl Streep (Mr and Mrs Fox respectively), Bill Murray voices Mr Badger, Willem Dafoe is Rat and Brian Cox, Adrien Brody and Michael Gambon are furnishing forth the villainous farming trio.

Blimey, I'd better dig out my cleanest tweeds and get down there. I can't wait to hear Streep's take on the Great Missenden accent. Actually, although the setting is indeed inspired by the area in which Dahl lived and wrote the book, the American actors will be cleaving to their native speech.

Why? Because, when you think about it, any other way would have been agony for all concerned. And no one really wants Dafoe going too Method when he has been cast in the part of a rat.

Point taken. Have any reviews come in yet? It has been called "an accomplished film with a cheerful sense of uplift". The trailer is on YouTube if you fancy a taste.

Do say: I love the way Dahl speaks to the anarchic spirit of every child.